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Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Letting Go of "Someday!" Stuff

I got a tagged in a facebook post recently from a "band friend." She was calling out near and far to all her "Band Geek" friends to see if someone had an instrument that they were looking to sell, because her daughters wanted to join our ranks.

It so happens that I have two in my garage: my trusty old clarinet, and a flute that was gifted to me. I had a tenant at my first housing job, she was a bit of a nut. But cool in a lot of ways too, and one of those ways was that, at age 84, she was taking flute lessons. I found this inspiring, because though I played clarinet for years, I had always wanted to play the flute. And for reasons like my friend is looking for an instrument, I took my aunt's clarinet from when she was in the marching band in high school because it was free. Well, that resident ended up transferring to an assisted living facility within 6 months. But before she left, she gave me her old student flute, saying that I should take lessons someday.

Someday! That magical-sounding word that makes you feel like you have all the time in the world. So yes, Someday I was going to take flute lessons! Also in my someday pile: a sewing machine, some hiking boots, Spanish language and culture texts, books about geneaology. DVD sets of TV shows that I may sit and enjoy Someday. Because time is on my side, friends.

Well. It's been thirteen years since Ruth went to the assisted living facility. That flute sat in my basement for many, many years. And when we moved it was placed on a shelf in the garage, with the Christmas decorations. It only took me a minute or two to decide and send my friend a message back. She thought that I was nuts at first, saying that she could just have it instead of buying it from me. And when I told her why, because it would get used instead of rotting in my garage, she sent back a message with kind of a giggle, that there's a guitar and some knitting needles/yarn in her closet for Someday. So it's not just me and I'm willing to bet that it's not just Jessica, either.

Sometimes it really is OK to survey your "Someday!" stuff and realize that they don't fit in your life anymore. I work full-time and have two kids with activities, etc. I have activities that I already enjoy: knitting, reading, cooking, a little gardening, other crafts and so on. I'm glad that the flute is going to someone who will use it and a family who will appreciate it. I think that Ruth would, too. Not giving up my clarinet, though. Or my sewing machine. Someday, I really want to use those!